Time controlled switch mechanism



Jan. 11, 1949.

Filed April 22, 1946.

R. L. HUGHES TIME CONTROLLED SWITCH MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 D D D V 12} I v 1 I nveutor -55 "M a! Papa ZEWTfl/V HUGHES Wye/way Em Jan. 11, 1949. I HUGHES 2,458,853

TIME CONTROLLED SWITCH MECHANISM Filed April 22,-3.946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' 7? 4 fi 'y' 5 I11 1/211 tor 46 Rap/1 Zzwmv HUGHE Jan. 11, 1949. R. L. HUGHES 2,458,853

TIME CONTROLLED SWITCH MECHANISM Filed April 22, 1946 r 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 gg 7 77 7f lllz'eutor 76 PM. PH Zawrau file/I55 Patented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIME CONTROLLED SWITCH MECHANISM Ralph Lewton Hughes, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 22, 1946, Serial No. 663,901

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a novel time-controlled switch mechanism, which, although capable of general use, is particularly designed for use in connection with a radio receiving set for automatically turning the set on at a predetermined time and thereafter turning the set off at another predetermined time, such as at the beginning and at the end of a particular program.

The primary object of the present invention is to pro ide a switch mechanism of the above kind which is comparatively simple and compact in construction, efficient in operation and otherwise well adapted to meet with the requirements for successful commercial use.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a switch mechanism of the above kind embodying novel, manually settable means for controlling and actuating the movable contacts of the mechanism.

More specific objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a radio receiving set equipped with a time-controlled switch mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section, with switch parts omitted, taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, with parts omitted,

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the construction shown in Figure 3, with the switch mechanism in circuit opening or off position,

Figure 5 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 4 with the switch mechanism in circuit closing or on position,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the parts of the switch mechanism in the position wherein the circuit has just been closed,

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the. parts of the switch mechanism in a position wherein the circuit has just been opened,

FigureBis an enlarged detail view of the movable contacts of the switch mechanism in circuitclosing position,

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram illustrating the manner of including the present switch mechanism in the radio circuit together with a manually operable switch by means of which the radio maybe completely turned off, thrown under control of the time-control switch mechanism, or turned on out of control of the time-control switch mechanism,

Figure 10 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 1 illustrating the time-controlled switch mechanism embodied in a unit separate from the radio receiving set, and

Figure 11 is a wiring diagram for the embodiment of Figure 10.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 indicates a conventional clock having three concentric shafts, the inner shaft 6 being the second hand shaft, the intermediate shaft I being the minute hand shaft, and the outer shaft 8 being the hour hand shaft. The clock also has the usual alarm set shaft *9, alarm set knob 10 and time set knob ii. The functions of these parts are well known in the clock art and need not be amplified herein.

In accordance with the present invention, the clock 5 is set within a suitable casing or cabinet 12 at the back of the latter so that the knobs i3 and ii are disposed outside and at the back of the cabinet or casing l2. Also, the shafts 6, 1, 8 and 9 are provided with extensions so as to project well beyond the front of the clock casing and through the front wall of the cabinet [2, where they are respectively equipped with the second hand l3, the minute hand [4, the hour hand i5 and the alarm time hand l6 coacting with suitable dials provided at I! and [8 on the front of the cabinet l2.

Mounted within the cabinet I2 in front of the clock 5 is a suitable frame i9 having the shaft 8 extended through and journaled in the upper portion thereof, Freely rotatable on and slidable longitudinally of the shaft 8 within the frame l9 are spaced gears 20 and 2| having hubs 22 and 23 formed with spiral cam inner surfaces or ends 24 and 25. The gears 20 and 21 are yieldingly urged toward each other by means of compression springs 26 and 21 surrounding the shaft 8 between the frame 19 and the outer sides of said gears 20 and 2!. Interposed between the hubs 22 and 23 of the gears 20 and 2| is a spreader bar 23 which is secured at 29 on the shaft 8 for rotation with the latter. Journaled in the frame l9 intermediate the top and bottom thereof are shafts 30 and 3| respectively carrying relatively wide gears 32 and 33 which remain in constant mesh with the gears 20 and 2i irrespective of the movement of the latter longitudinally of the shaft 8. Further shafts 34 and 35 are journaled in the lower portion of the frame 19, as well as being extended through the front of the cabinet 12 and equipped with dialed knobs 36 and 31, respectively, outside the cabinet. The dials of the knobs 36 and 31 coact with index elements 38 and 39 provided on the front of the cabinet [2, and it will be noted that the dials of the knobs are numbered from 1 to 12 inclusive with the numbers progressing anti-clockwise. Gears 46 and 4| are respectively secured on the shafts 34 and 35 so as to remain in constant mesh with the wide gears 32 and 33. The bearings for the shafts 30, 3!, 34 and 35 in the frame i 9 are relatively tight so that noticeable frictional resistance to turning of said shafts is provided. It will be apparent that upon rotation of the hour hand shaft 6, the spreader bar 28 will rotate therewith and, due to the engagement of its ends with the cam faces 24 and 25, will gradually act to move the gears 26 and 2| apart and then suddenly allow movement of the same toward one another under the infiuence of the springs 26 and 2? when said spreader bar passes the high points of the faces 24 and 25. It will also be apparent that due to frictional resistance to turning of the shafts 36 and 3! and shafts 34 and 35, the gears 26 and 2! will be held against rotation with shaft 6 unless manually forcibly rotated by the actuation of knobs 36 and 3'4. It will be further apparent that knob 36 is used to rotatably adjust gear 25, while knob 31 is used to rotatably adjust gear 24 relative to shaft 8 and the spreader bar 26 carried thereby.

Mounted on the upper portion of frame 19 at one side of the latter is a laterally projecting bracket plate 42 of electrical insulating material on which are pivotally mounted at 43 and 44 coacting switch contacts 45 and 46. The contacts 45 and 46 are arrangedto swing horizontally and are provided with adjacent hooked ends 47 and 48 provided in their inner edges with angular inlaid strips 49 and 59 of electrical insulating material. These strips 49 and 56 terminate near but short of the terminal ends of the hooked portions 41 and 48 as shown, so that electrical connection is had between the contacts when their free ends are in abutting relation as illustrated in Figure 8. Rigid with and projecting from the contacts 45 and 46 so as to extend respectively adjacent the inner sides of the gears 20 and 2| are arms and 51 of electrical insulating material. Contact 45 is yieldingly swung by a spring 52 in a direction to cause engagement of the arm 5| with gear 26, while contact 46 is yieldingly swung by a spring 53 in the direction to cause engagement of its arm 51 with the gear 2!. Movement of contact 46 in this direction is limited by a stop pin 54 carried by bracket plate 42. The pivots 43 and 44 of the contacts 45 and 46 are extended through and beneath the bracket plate 42 so as to provide binding posts 55 and 56.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 9, inclusive, the cabinet 12 constitutes the cabinet of a radio receiving set having push button control tuning at T, speaker vents at V, tuning dial at D, radio dial and volume control knobs 66 and 6|, and a special control switch at 62. The automatic switch mechanism of the present invention, as illustrated in this embodiment, is mounted directly in the cabinet of the radio receiving set at one end of said cabinet. Referring to the wiring diagram of Figure 9 S indicates the present automatic switch mechanism embodying the contacts 45 and 46. An attachment cord 63 is extended into the cabinet l2 and is equipped at its outer end with an ordinary attachment plug 64 so that current may be derived from the outlet receptacle of a house wiring system. As shown in Figure 9, the switch'62 includes a shaft having an arm 65 provided with a contact bridging element 66 adapted to selectively bridge a pair of contacts 68 or a pair of contacts 69. The arrangement is such that the element 66 may be simultaneously disengaged from the contacts 68 and the contacts 69, as shown. Also, by swinging the arm in one direction, the element 66 may be caused to bridge the contacts '68 while being disengaged from the contacts 69. Conversely, by swinging the arm 65 in the opposite direction, contacts 69 may be bridged by element 66 while the latter is disengaged from contacts 53. One wire "it of attachment cord 63 is connected with contact 46, While the other Wire H of said attachment cord extends to one side of the circuit of the radio receiving set. Another wire '42 extends from the contact 45 to the other side of the circuit of the radio receiving set and has the contacts 66 interposed therein. One contact 69 is connected with the wire 12, while the other contact 69 is connected with the wire 76 by means of a wire Hi. It will thus be seen that when switch 62 is operated to cause contacts 68 to be bridged by the element 66, the radio circuit is placed under the control of the present automatic switch mechanism S. On the other hand, when the contacts 69 are bridged by the element 66, the radio circuit is manually closed by shunting the current from the automatic switch mechanism so that the latter has no controlling efiect upon the radio receiving set.

As the clock 5 runs, shaft 6 turns the spreader bar 28 in a clockwise direction at the same speed as the hour hand i5, so that said spreader bar 26 makes one revolution every twelve hours. As the bar '28 revolves, it slides along the cam surfaces 24 and 25 of the gears 26 and 2|, and when it passes the high points of the cam surfaces 24 and 25, the springs 26 and 2'! move the gears 26 and 2! toward one another for causing the radio circuit to be opened or closed, as the case may be. For instance, when the bar 28 passes the high point of cam surface 24, gear 26 is snapped by spring 26 to the position of Figure 5, allowing gear 26 to strike arm 5| a hammer blow, which swings contact 45 in a direction for disengaging its hooked end 4'! from behind the hooked end 48 of contact 46. This allows arm 5'? to swing against the stop pin 54 under the action of spring 53 so that the end faces of the hooked ends 41 and 48 contact each other under the pressure of spring 52 to close the radio circuit. As shown in Figure 5, the spreader bar 28 has just passed the high point of cam 24, cansing the switch contacts 45 and 46 to close. A further rotation Of the spreader bar 28 will cause it to pass the high point of cam 25 of gear 2|. This causes spring 21 to snap gear 2.! so as to strike the switch arm 51 a hammer blow and swing contact 46 in a direction to move its hooked end 48 inwardly of the hooked end 4'! of contact 45. When the hooked end48 slides over the edge of end 47, the spring 52 forces the contact 45 so as to engage the switch contact ends as shown in Figure 4 and so that the contact surfaces are separated by the insulating material 49 and 50, thereby opening the circuit. However, since the switch contacts have just previously been closed, the gear 26 has been moved by spring 26 to the right as far as it will go and therefore limits the movement of switch lever arm 5! so that the hooked ends 41 and 48 do not fully engage, but are engaged enough to separate the switch contact surfaces at 4'1 and 48, due to the insulating material 49 and 56, thereby opening the radio circuit as shown in Figure 7. Further rotation of the spreader bar 28 will push gear 28 to the left andallow arm 5| and contact 45 to be moved by spring 52 so as to more fully engage the hooked ends 41 and 48 of the switch contacts and further separate the terminals of the latter as shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 shows the switch mechanism at a time when the gear 2| has just snapped-to the left by the pressure of spring 21, striking the switch arm 51 a hammer blow and opening the switch contacts by engaging the hooked ends 41 and 48 in an interlocking position so that their terminals are separated by the insulating material" and 58. Since the gear 28 has been manually set to close the switch contacts at a little later time, the spreader bar 28 is moving near the men point of cam 24, thus holding the gear 28 to the lft as far as possible, allowing arm 5| to move its full distance, and locking the switch contacts in their fully open position. In Figure 5, the gears 28 and 2| have a different setting for the operation of the switch mechanism and, in this instance, the spreader bar 28 has just passed the high point of cam 24. This allowed the spring 28 to snap the gear 28 to the right, striking the arm 5| and swinging the contact 45 so as to eliminate the interlocking relation of the switch contacts as shown in Figure 4, and allowing the spring 53 to force the switch arm 51 back against its stoppin 54. The spring 52 then forces the contact'45 in a direction to close the switch contact ends 41 and 48 under its pressure. If the gear 2| had been set so that the spreader bar 28 were at a lower point of the cam 25, the gear 2| would have limited the movement of the arm 51 so that the switch contacts would be making contact only near the tips of the hooked ends 41 and 48, as shown in Figure 6. However, further rotation of the spreader bar 28 would cause the gear 2| to move from its position in Figure 6 to its position in Figure 5, and thus allow the arm 51 to gradually move toward the stop pin 54 to establish the fully closed position of the contacts, as shown in Figure 5. In the position of Figure 6, the switch contacts are engaged to close the circuit to the radio, just as they do in their position of Figure 5. Figure 6 shows the position of the switch mechanism where the switch has been opened by the action of the gear 2| and then soon afterward closed by the action of the gear 28 striking the arm 5|. Arm 51 is now resting on the gear 2|, while the movement of the arm 5| is limited by the contact of the two hooked ends 41 and 48, and aim 5| is separated from the gear 28. Figure 'I shows the position of the switch mechanism where the gear 28 has operated the switch lever arm 5| to close the switch contacts 41 and 48 and then soon afterward the gear 2| has struck the arm 51 so as to open the switch contacts 41 and 48. In this instance, the hooked ends 41 and 48 do not lock fully open, because the movement of the arm 5| is limited by the gear 28 which has recently snapped to the right as far as it can go. The arm 5| can only move a slight distance before it rests against the gear 28, so the hooked ends 41 and 48 are disengaged only a small amount, but enough to fully open the electric circuit to the radio. Further movement of the spreader bar 28 and gear 28 will allow the arm 5| to move to the left still further and gradually move the hooked ends 41 and 48 to their fully interlocked position of Figure 4. The particular time when these circuit opening or circuit closing operation take place naturally depends upon the relative rotatable adjustment of the gears 28 and 2| through the medium of the manual adjusting means including 6 the knobs 36 and 31. The time for closing the radio circuit is set by turning the knob 36 and thereby rotatably adjusting gear 28, while the time for opening the radio circuit is set by turning knob 31 and thereby rotatably adjusting gear 2|.

In the embodiment of Figures 10 and 11, the automatic switch mechanism is the same as that illustrated and described in connection with Fi ures 1 to 8, inclusive, except that such mechanism is housed within a cabinet entirely separate from the cabinet |2a of the radio receiving set, thereby providing a control unit applicable for use in connection with radios not having the automatic switch mechanism built therein. In this arrangement, the wires 1| and 12 are extended from the control unit to a receptacle 11 that may be located on the back of the case l2. The attachment cord 14 of the radio is connected tothe switch mechanism by insertin the attachment cord plug 15 into the receptacle 11 of the switch mechanism. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the control unit is equipped with a single throw switch 16 instead of the multiple throw switch 62 of Figure 1, so that the current may be manually shunted around the automatic switch mechanism when automatic control of the radio receiving set or other electrlcal appliance is not desired. When the switch 16-is opened, the radio is placed under the control of the automatic time switch mechanism, as will be apparent. Otherwise, the wiring for the embodiment of Figure 10 is similar to that for the embodiment of Figure 1, and remaining elements of the wiring of both forms are indicated by like reference characters. When an electric clock is used in this unit, the electric motor thereof is connected across the two wires 18 and 1| of Figure 11.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the present invention will be readily under stood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. The mechanism is comparatively simple, compact and durable in construction, and has been found to operate efliciently for the intended purpose. The construction is such as to permit ready incorporation of the mechanism in the construction of a radio receiving set, Without great expense or material enlargement of the overall size of the set. On the other hand, the mechanism is equally as well adaptable to a small, separate control unit of neat appearance, for ordinary receiving sets. The invention is obviously susceptible of further modification and change in details of construction, such as fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

l. A time-controlled switch mechanism of the kind described comprising, in combination with a clock having an hour hand shaft provided with a forward coaxial extension, spaced gears slidable longitudinally on said shaft extension and having the latter freely rotatable thereon, said gears having inner spiral cam surfaces, springs acting to slide said gears toward one another, a spreader bar secured on said shaft extension to rotate therewith and arranged between said gears, the spreader bar engaging said cam surfaces so as to relatively move the gears apart and to allow them to be relatively moved toward one another by said springs upon rotation of the spreader bar relative to said gears, coacting circuit-controlling contacts operatively associated with and relatively movable in certain directions by the gears when the latter are relatively moved toward one another by said springs, further springs for 'rela-'- tively moving said contacts in directions opposite to said certain directions when the gears are relatively moved apart by said spreader bar, and manually operable means to independently rotatably adjust each gear to set the times of circuit closing and circuit openingiby said contacts.

2. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein said contacts are caused to close a circuit'when one gear is moved by its spring and to open'the circuit when the other gear is moved by its spring.

3. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein each manually Operable meansincludes a manually rotatable shaft equipped with a dial knob and a train of gearing between the latter shaft and one of said spaced gears, the train of gearing having bearings frictionally resisting rotation of the gear to prevent accidental turning thereof after beingrotatably adjusted.

4. The construction defined in claim 1,- wherein said contacts are provided with adjacent hooked ends adapted to be inter-engaged in circuit opening position and disposed in abutting end-to-end relation when in circuit closing position, said contacts having angular inlaid insulating strips in the inner faces thereof at said hooked ends,

5. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein each manually operable means includes a manually rotatable shaft equipped with a dial knob and a train of gearing between the latter shaft and one of said spaced gears, the train of gearing having bearings frictionally resisting rotation of 8,. the gear to prevent accidental turning thereof after being rotatably adjusted; a supporting frame for the hour hand shaft extension and the train of gearing, and a horizontal bracket plate carried by said frame and having said coacting contacts pivoted thereon.

6. A time-controlled switch mechanismof the kind described comprising, in combination with a clock having an hour hand shaft, spaced control elements journaled on and slidable longitudinally of said shaft, said control, elements having inner spiral cam surfaces, spring means acting to slide said control elements toward one another, a spreader member secured on said shaft to-rotate therewith and arranged between said control elements in engagement with the cam sulfaceS thereof; coacting circuit-controlling contacts relatively movable in certain directions by said control elements spring means for moving said contacts in directions opposite to said certain directions, and manually operable means to rotatably adjust said elements relatively to said shaft.

RALPH LEWTON HUGHES.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PA'IEN'TS.

Country Date Number Great Britain Oct. 131897 

